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First-of-its-kind Tool Helps At-Risk People Find Qualified Care

“In 2004 my brother took his life,” said Sally Spencer-Thomas, CEO CJSF, “I remember the weeks before his death, our family searched in vain for a therapist that fit his unique mental health needs. I wish we had had a tool like this then to help guide us”

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HelpPRO, in partnership with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), the QPR Institute, The Carson J Spencer Foundation (CJSF), and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, launches the HelpPRO Suicide Prevention Therapist Finder today. Across the globe September 10th is recognized as World Suicide Prevention Day. The Finder, available at http://www.HelpPRO.com/SPTF, gives people struggling with a suicide crisis an opportunity to link to mental health service providers with expertise in suicide risk assessment, management and support.

“In 2004 my brother took his life,” said Sally Spencer-Thomas, CEO of the Carson J Spencer Foundation (CJSF) and Survivor Division Director for the American Association of Suicidology, “I remember the weeks before his death, our family searched in vain for a therapist that fit his unique mental health needs. I wish we had a tool like this then to help guide us. Our mental health system can be very overwhelming, and to families in crisis, this tool offers a sense of assurance.”

The goal is to help save lives by making suicide prevention and bereavement resources more directly accessible and to encourage therapists to update their suicide prevention training. Paul Quinnett, PhD, President and CEO, The QPR Institute, Inc. says "Twenty-two of our veterans will take their own lives today. So will someone's daughter, a brother, a co-worker and far too many working men and grandfathers. The Finder helps practitioners update their skills by connecting them to new training developed in the last five to ten years based on best practices research which saves lives.”

Therapists who specialize working with people who have suicidal thoughts can list their practice information at http://www.HelpPRO.com/SPTF.aspx. The goal of the finder is to populate the list with qualified therapists, so people in crisis can quickly locate the best help available.

“HelpPRO is proud to be part of this collaborative effort to help prevent the tragedy of suicide. This tool will provide better access to mental health resources to those in need and encourage training for therapists.” said William L. Blout, LICSW, Founder and President of HelpPRO.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

HelpPRO (http://www.HelpPRO.com), the oldest, most comprehensive therapist finder, was founded in 1995 to improve the public’s access to the services of mental health clinicians and organizations. HelpPRO’s vision is that "every person in America can readily find mental health services to meet their needs."
Contact: William L. Blout, LICSW, President & Founder, 781-862-5215, bblout(at)helppro(dot)com

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), (http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org) is a toll-free suicide prevention hotline network of 160+ local crisis centers providing free and confidential crisis counseling to anyone in need 24/7. The Lifeline, launched in 2005, is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Link2Health Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC).
Contact: John Draper, Project Director, 212-614-6309, JohnD(at)mhaofnyc(dot)org

The American Association of Suicidology (AAS; http://www.suicidology.org) is a membership organization founded in 1968 for all those involved in suicide prevention and intervention or touched by suicide. AAS leads the advancement of scientific and programmatic efforts in suicide prevention through research, education and training, the development of standards and resources, and survivor support services. AAS’s clinical training program, Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk, is the most extensive and intensive training program available and has an evidence base that shows that it improves clinical skills to assess suicide risk.
Contact: Alan L. Berman, PhD, ABPP, Executive Director, 202-237-2280, berman(at)suicidology(dot)org

The QPR Institute (http://www.qprinstitute.com) founded in 1996, has trained more then one million lay and professional suicide prevention Gatekeepers in QPR, an evidence-based CPR-equivalent for mental health emergencies. QPR – Question, Persuade, and Refer – defines the three action steps when suicide warning signs are observed. The QPR Institute also has professional courses for mental health professionals as well as nurses, physicians, school counselors etc.
Contact: Brian Quinnett, National Training Coordinator, 208-882-6160, bquinn(at)turbonet(dot)com

The Carson J Spencer Foundation (http://www.CarsonJSpencer.org) is a Colorado nonprofit, established in 2005. We envision a world where leaders and communities are committed to sustaining a passion for living. We sustain a passion for living by:

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC, http://www.sprc.org)
The SPRC is a federally funded resource center that provides technical assistance, training, and resource materials to strengthen suicide prevention efforts and infrastructure to advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. SPRC is supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and is based at Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) with offices in Washington, D.C. and Waltham, MA.
Contact: Laurie Davidson, Program Manager, 617-969-7100, LDavidson(at)edc(dot)org